§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what the cost was of maintaining the bishops' residences for the most recent year for which figures are available. [68879]
§ Mr. BellThe overall spending by the Commissioners on bishops' housing and office premises in 2001 was £3.3 million, broken down as follows:
£ million Building maintenance and repairs 1.1 External property management costs 0.2 Staff 0.9 Council tax, insurance and other running costs 0.6 Lambeth Palace Library running costs 0.4 Support services 0.1 Depreciation 0.2 Rent paid 0.1 Rental income (0.3) Suffragan bishops' houses are owned by the dioceses.